


To a Flame

by zeo_nulla



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Along with found family, Becoming a more functioning human because others care about you, Character Development, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Family, Moth dad, Mothman, Mothman Dib, Non-Graphic Violence, Platonic Relationships, Science that is super hand wavey, Swearing, When they both are functioning better, ZaDr, my favorite trope, potentially in the future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:41:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22127308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zeo_nulla/pseuds/zeo_nulla
Summary: Dib is in for a bit of a ride as he finds out he is a not only a clone, but also a hybrid,How did this happen? well, the answers might come as the person responsible wants to help raise him.But what will Dib do when he finds out more about himself and his heritage on this side than he ever knew, and what is he willing to give up to keep his new family safe?
Relationships: Dib & Gaz (Invader Zim), Dib & Professor Membrane, Dib & Zim (Invader Zim), Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)
Comments: 37
Kudos: 105





	1. Dust

**Author's Note:**

> Oh nooo, Another WIP!  
> what am I doing with my life?  
> In other news, I hope you like development and Mothman Dib, because It is happening.  
> Comments and Ideas are super appreciated, have an awesome day!

The labs were quiet but for the bubble in the tubes, the two men sitting behind monitors, the secondary, female clone was more active in the tube, much like a baby developing in a womb, she would kick, scratch and tangle herself up in the cables if they were not careful.

It was easy for the other scientist to see which child was favoured just due to being responsive. Such a human way to look at things.

The first “born” a male clone was still, thought by his companion to be a lost cause, yet still the scientist monitored and protected the small life growing in the tube.

“We should have flushed that by now, it may be the first but it is obviously defective. It has not shown the typical signs of life by now.”

The scythe haired man looked over at his companion as he spoke, yet his words did not reach, sure, Membrane had developed these clones from his DNA but his companion had worked through all the extra errors and even added some things to help the first clone thrive.

“Membrane, just because something is A-typical that does not mean it is defective. Give it a chance.”

As the professor left to get coffee the man leaned back and smiled, a soft almost humming sound emitted past his Lips The figure in the tube that had been still for so long started to squirm and the white coat walked over to press a hand against the tube.

“There you are little one. Don’t worry, I will always try to keep you safe.”

* * *

Lunch was just as typical as it could be for Dib, sitting alone as he wrote in his notebooks, Zim off in another corner plotting how to get back at him for telling him in class that his answer was wrong.

Dib swore it was like Zim wanted to get caught, the answers on his social quiz were like ones someone who hated all humanity would write.

Seriously, who wrote; “They should have used the silk press as a torture device?”

The teacher of that class was pretty lazy, so they left it up to partners to do the marking on the quizzes, and since no one wanted to be paired up with Zim or Dib… they were together in most classes.

That was fine with Dib, starting Middle-school with Zim was not so bad, he had since given up on trying to be like his Dad and show off Zim to the scientific world, now he was just trying to keep Zim from world domination. Truth be told he thought life without Zim would be pretty lonely for him.

Dad was not home often and when he was it was worse because he wanted Dib to be like him, it was rough because now even Gaz was starting to treat him poorly, sure she had always teased him but now she made it feel like it was _HIS_ fault that their Dad was not home that often. So now most days he spent longer after school to avoid both of them.

It was a lone lifestyle that he knew would drive most people crazy, but he was fine…he was always fine.

He could not afford to show weakness, not to Zim, not to his family, not to anyone. Dib Membrane was an island surrounded by hate on all sides. If it got to him no one knew, he was able to act very aloof to most of it, even physical retaliation that most bullies and Zim put him under did not break his façade.

But he was still just a young teen who was under immense pressure, everyone was telling him who he should be and how he should act. Even re-enforced glass when dropped into the ocean will eventually start to break, everything has a limit after all.

After avoiding Zim all day so he could get home not looking like he lost a fight with a lawnmower, he sprinted back excited to finish his paper on La Llorona, It was not often he got a topic he would like in English, but folklore around the world opened up a whole bunch of possibilities, he happened to draw Mexico from the hat of countries and the English teacher was actually a pretty nice lady, she looked exhausted most of the time, but she was sharp as a tack and could see through most of Zim’s flimsy excuses to get out of class. She said as long as Dib enjoyed writing it and did his work, she would allow the ghost story.

As he rounded the corner his heart sank, he saw his father’s car in the driveway and almost forgot it was family night…once a month on Gaz’s insistence that their father spends time with them.

It was just time for her to talk to her father about how well she was doing and use Dib as a scapegoat to avoid any of their Dad’s scorn due to his high standards.

Dib did not really blame her, she just wanted her father’s love, too bad the man would never get a clue on how to be a good parent.

Telling your son, he was ‘insane’ due to his interests and committing him at least two times to ‘cure’ his insanity was not exactly a great way to win parent of the year, it did however disillusion Dib from that fog of wanting his Dad’s approval. Who would want the praise of the person hellbent on fixing you when there was nothing wrong with you in the first place? 

The other thing the mental hospital had shown him was how to become a good liar, people hear what they want to hear anyway so why not just nod and agree so you can get your own way too?

A young man nick-named Trick had shown him how to pick locks and fool people into thinking you had taken your meds by pretending to show the symptoms it caused. A Girl called Ghost showed him how to basically be blank to everyone and pass by, and how to just let every bad thing said to you roll-off.

If it were not for those two, he probably would not have survived the hospital and he made sure to pay the favour forward when he got out.

Hacking an underfunded government system really was child’s play to him now.

If two young adults managed to get out because of technical error, well wasn’t that too bad?

Going to the side of the house he started to scale up the tree beside his window so he could get in without being bothered. He heard the crunch of a branch on the ground and wiped his head around so fast he lost his grip, he braced himself for the ground or for the cold metal of PAK legs.

Instead, he felt a leather jacket and smelled campfire, he blinked past his daze as a stranger set him down and vaguely heard the man ask him if he was okay.

The man in question looked to be part Brazilian, lightly tanned and fit. Black curls on his head that were styled well and shaved on the sides into a more androgynous style, his honey coloured eyes were behind big round spectacles that gave his face a more open appearance, he was one cute hat and scarf away from looking like he stepped out of a hipster coffee house.

“I’m good…why are you here?” 

If the man was taken aback by Dib’s bluntness, he did not show it he just chuckled and pointed over to the driveway, a motorbike was parked just beside his Dad’s car so it was out of sight from any angle but this one.

“I was about to take off my jacket when you came sprinting up and started climbing to the window, I thought you were a tiny robber, imagine my surprise.”

Dib was sceptical of this man right away and looked right up at him.

“I live here, but why do I have to go through the front door?”

The man frowned and got down to Dib’s level on his knees.

“Hey, are you okay? You know if you are in a bad situation you can call people, right?”

Teeth clenched Dib put on his best neutral expression and looked the man dead in the eyes.

“I’m fine, besides if you are here then you must have business with my dad anyway.”

He walked to the front door and opened it not caring if the stranger followed him in now, he felt like his mind was swirling and he just wanted to be in his room and curl under his weighted blanket so he could feel like someone was holding him to reassure him as his mind swirled painfully. It was hard to deal with people in general and Dib was not feeling in the mood to have to try to play nice.

He had just wanted to write an essay on a ghost, now there was a stranger concerned over his wellbeing, not that the stranger would care, no this guy would hate him soon enough just like everyone else.

The man stood at the door and knocked softly.

“Membrane, It’s me, Gael.”

Dib had never heard his father move so fast, the man was out of the kitchen and Gaz followed looking pretty confused herself as their father tried to slam the door on this man but was stopped when Gael put his foot in the doorway and let himself in.

“I just have some papers for you to look over, please do not get like this…”

Membrane looked at his children and sighed.

“Go to your rooms, we will have our family Dinner another night.”

He said this giving Gael the side-eye to which the man looked a little sheepish over.

Now the children did go to their rooms as they were told, but Membrane had genius children who were very good at snooping, so both siblings were listening in, Dib with a bugging device and Gaz with a robotic plush bunny that just so happened to be under the living room couch.

“I see you have not stopped this foolish pursuit Gael, I thought I told you not to come here again?”

There was a soft rustling sound of papers being shifted and chairs being pulled out.

“Membrane, we were friends, I worked beside you, you know that the DNA mixing the way it did was an accident and I did not want to steal your research from you…”

Dib and Gaz both flinched as they heard their father’s fist hit the table.

“then WHY do you want to fight for custody of Dib so badly?! It is your fault he did not come out as intended! We tried to keep the environment sterile but your DNA entered the mix and we did not figure it out until it was too late to purge and try again!”

Dib was shell shocked and could barely process what was happening, he could not even bring himself to turn off his device to keep the horrible truth from himself.

“Dib may have been intended to be your clone, but he is his own person now…you should let him try to be that, you know that I am not in the same field as you anymore, I am okay with that I have made my peace. Membrane, the courts agreed to give me partial custody, I would like him to be involved in the decision.”

Gaz could almost see her father’s face redden.

“How did you Get DNA to prove you are a parent? I thought I told you to stay away? I want no more of your Bumbling to infect my children!”

The man, Gael sounded ever calm, like he dealt with people screaming at him all the time.

“I did not get the DNA, someone gave it to me to help with my case. Membrane, like it or not I want to help be a parent…You do not have to like me or agree with me…but please try to understand that there is a boy upstairs who is confused and alone, there is no one else in the world like him…I am not doing this out of pettiness, I have been trying for twelve years to get this approved.” 

Membrane hissed at the man to get out and Gael apparently did so, though not without asking politely to say goodbye to Dib and being outright refused.

Both children heard the door close and both were shocked, Gaz less so, she figured she had to be a clone years ago, and that there was no way Dib was a perfect clone…but for him to be some new thing…that was weird.

Meanwhile, Dib had thrown himself under his weighted blanket and was bawling his eyes out, the tears were silent but ugly. Everything made sense now.

Why his father was never proud of him, why he was so different, why no one would ever like him.

He was a hybrid and a freak by nature, He wanted to be angry at the man who had just walked into his life, but that was not fully reasonable…the man could only walk in now because he had custody, he probably never would have tried if he never got custody.

Not that this revelation made anything better, Dib sank into a fitful sleep that night.

* * *

He barely had time to process, Gael got a woman from the court to work over Dates with him and his father, Dib was silent for most of it, numb and ready to pass out from the strain. It was going to be a bi-weekly arrangement, two weeks with membrane two weeks with Gael.

Dib walked through life in a Daze, too depressed over his newfound knowledge to do much of anything and of course, this made a certain green nuisance take notice.

“Dib-beast! Zim demands to know why you are ignoring him! Are you surrendering?”

Dib looked up from his lunch of mac and cheese to sigh as he looked at Zim who was staring at him expectantly.

“…No, look Zim it has been a rough couple days for me…and I won’t be around for the next two weeks…”

Zim, of course, looked sceptical.

“What deception is this?! You have no putrid vacations! Explain to Zim at once!”

Now people were staring at him, excellent, just what Dib wanted today. He stood up with his tray and just left as Zim screamed at him.

* * *

The rest of the day was not really any better as Zim continued to harass him over his moment of weakness, he was tripped up by the little pest, had rubber bands snapped into the back of his neck and his notebooks were thrown in a toilet after being stolen from his locker.

Really today could not get any worse, even if Gael was an axe murderer and was just going to kill Dib after they got to his place.

Dib had a bag packed and ready to go from school, he had his books and phone and basically everything he would need to ignore Gael entirely, the man had insisted that during the time with him he could be homeschooled to fit the schools curriculum, it seemed he had pulled some strings with the school because the head office had agreed.

Dib was a little worried about leaving Zim unchecked for two weeks but he also felt he needed a break by now, so as a jeep pulled up and Gael hopped out it was a bit of a relief for dib to be leaving behind all his usual stress…even if Gael had introduced new stress.

During the drive, Gael tried to start up a conversation but Dib neatly shut it down with the reply of;

“Look, you are not my Dad, not even my Dad is my Dad. So, don’t pretend to care.”

The man had just smiled sadly at him and decided to plough on anyway with some conversation, one-sided as it may be.

“So, I work as an entomologist and writer, I like being away from all the noise and pollution of the city so I settled down in the woods, there are a lot of interesting creatures there.”

Dib remained silent, even though his curious nature had him wanting to ask every question under the sun he could not get attached to anyone, let alone this guy.

The trip was around an hour long and when they got out of the jeep it was dark out, though one would never be able to tell withal the solar fairy lights that spiralled around the cabin, if one could call it that, the cabin looked more like a cave that had wooden accents added as extra rooms, every bit looked intentional, but it was strange and the fact that it was covered in lights was confusing to Dib.

That confusion must have shown on his face because Gael smiled at him and nodded at the string lights.

“The lights attract bugs, and these are a low heat variety, I have new nectar traps that only use a couple drops so I can get a living specimen, I record then release it.”

Dib nodded and followed after Gael, he felt something strange looking at all those lights, they were really pretty out in the absolute darkness of the forest canopy. Shaking his head, he continued on to the door and entered the home after the man who had helped make him.

Little did he know that even as he was being swept away, eyes were watching from the darkness, a soft chittering hum in the dark of the night to welcome him to his second home.

Dib was going to find out a lot more about himself in the past two weeks than he ever thought he would.

He was going in with his curiosity burning in his mind with all his questions.

Who was Gael?

How did he know Membrane?

What was wrong with him?

He was going to not find answers, but more questions.


	2. lepidoptera

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get a cave tour!  
> A Ghost from Dib's past shows up.  
> Zim is having a hard time grasping That Dib won't be around constantly.  
> They were not lying to him.

The main entry-way made Dib blink even more than the outside had, the outside did not really give much away, it looked like a cave with wooden accents, it looked like your typical tree-hugger kind of situation, and he had expected the inside to be similar, minimal effort hippie den sort of look.

But that is not the reality that was facing him.

The ceiling was like a cave, yet each stalactite dripped with fairy lights that flickered to life when the door opened. The floor was smoothed out stone and area rugs lined the sitting area, which had the stone of the walls hollowed into shelves for rows upon rows of books, it made the room look like a library from a fantasy world if you combined the fireplace and the overstuffed armchairs.

It looked cosy and yet also like a wizard would soon be questioning why Dib had barged into his inner sanctum.

Off to the side was an island made of a high polished stone outcropping of the same sandy rust coloured stone the rest of the cave was made of, mahogany stained stools lined the area around it, and it led to an open concept modern kitchen, the sink was carved into the wall and the induction stove was to the side of a stainless-steel refrigerator, the plugs must have been carved out as well and wires must have been very hard to get installed, yet here Gael was leading Dib over to a stool and asking if he wanted anything in particular for dinner. 

Dib just shook his head and observed in silence as Gael started cutting up some onions without crying at all and threw them into a pot with butter to let them simmer.

Dib used his time to look around from where he was at a little more.

The floorplan looked fairly open with only four doors, one was the bathroom and it was on the far wall, he knew this because he asked to use it and wandered into it.

The tub was carved from the stone and polished so well it looked like red marble. He ran his fingers over the surface to find it was just as smooth as it looked, the showerhead led up from the tub and was a removable one, the toilet was normal, economic water-saving one, but normal. The sink too was built into a counter of stone and a dark stained wooden end table held all different toiletries.

Dib was not sure if he was giddy or nervous…Gael could afford this project, a homemade out of a cave, even a small one was no small undertaking and he had the money to try to plead a case of custody for twelve years.

What did this obviously successful man even want with a nobody like him?

He made his way back to the kitchen, he could smell the makings of French onion soup…he did not mind onions, but since Gaz hated them, they never really ate them.

“Well, once you have had Dinner it will be time to turn in for the evening so you can get settled. Hope you are not too jarred by everything kiddo.” 

Dib just shrugged and looked at his feet. He was not going to get attached, this guy would throw him away soon enough because Dib liked weird things.

Just a matter of time.

The soup was good, but Dib was actually exhausted, both mentally and emotionally. So, he did not protest being sent to bed without exploring, Gael told him one door was to his room, so if he needed him, he could just knock and Gael would wake up, he joked about being a light sleeper which is why he needed the solid rock of a cave to keep out the background noise.

It explained a bit why he did not have a TV or radio setup in the lounge or kitchen, it was very quiet and serene.

He let Dib know that the door away from all the others actually went Deeper into the caves, and although they did not go that far down it would be dangerous to wander alone at night, which Dib had to agree to even if he did not like being treated like a kid.

He had saved the world on his own numerous times…he was not a fragile little butterfly or whatever.

Still, he opened the door to his room and plopped his bag on the shaggy soft grey rug, from the ceiling the lights hung were shaped like stars and the bed was a circular mattress with dappled sheets to make it look like the moon, the overall feeling of the room was nice, some might have said the space theme was for kids, but the way this was set up was so tasteful it looked like an adult with half a brain would like it too.

Sliding into pj’s he rolled into the queen-sized circular bed, feeling a little strange having a bed in the centre of the room.

There was a window on a wall that was a bow window to fit the circular shape of the room, the desk under it was shaped like a crescent moon and shelves and drawers had been built into this room’s walls for a more open floor.

Dib stared at the window with its grey blackout curtains covered in stars and thought about a certain Bug from space and what he was up to, then shook his head free of the thought.

It didn’t matter right now…It probably never mattered.

\-------------------------

He woke up to the sound of birds, and they were annoying to him…everything felt too loud today, even out here in the woods.

Dad had told him that he had sensory processing disorder when he was younger, some days things were fine, and other days he wanted to curl under weighted sheets and never come out again.

The world was too loud, but blissfully it was less loud out here in the woods.

He knew it would be a bad day because he was straining, waiting to hear the sound of the lights…nothing came, there was no hum grating the inside of his head and it took him a moment to realize that he was out in the woods with Gael, he could hear however said man humming and he could smell pancakes being cooked. He waited but Gael did not wake him.

He must have forgotten.

His dad forgot too, some days he forgot Dib existed and drove just Gaz to or from school without even thinking about him. The ice in his chest grew as he got up and did not even bother changing out of his alien-themed Pyjamas. Padding through the door with bare feet Gael looked up at him with a bright smile that left him faltering in his march. The pancakes were stacked neatly on plates and covered in little glass leftover domes that one would use for cupcakes on a cake tray.

Gael had not eaten at all; he had picked up a book and was just…

Sitting there, waiting for him.

The guy did not know how long Dib would sleep for; he did not know so why was he putting off eating his own meal? Dib was stunned and he just stared dumbly.

“Good morning Dib, I hope you are okay with pancakes for breakfast. I was hoping to show you the rest of the caves today and go over some basics of the homeschooling program that I have set up, I have a little bit of everything including home economics, they really should just call those classes ‘life skills’ gender stereotyping is such a silly thing.” 

Dib just looked at him as he was ushered to the table, jams, honey, maple syrup, berries and whipping cream were already set out and Dib felt shell shocked at the variety.

Because it was the thought of it, this man did not know Dib’s preferences so he was trying to find out…and that was…

It felt nice, he felt oddly cared for in this moment even as Gael told him all the things that were on the roster for Monday. It was obvious Gael had planned around doing a bit of everything, even art and literature were planned to a T with each day having a lesson, even Saturday which was dedicated to “life skills” as Gael put it, but not today, today was his first full day here so Gael had planned on a little exploring and meeting his neighbour.

“You have a neighbour out in the woods?”

Gael Smiled even at Dib’s sarcastic tone and Dib tried not to squirm as he felt that warm feeling flutter in his chest…Is this what paternal love felt like when directed at you?

He could easily get addicted to feeling like this and that was dangerous.

“I do, she is very nice. The ranger around these parts actually, she lives around half a mile away, but neighbours are neighbours.”

After eating pancakes with each topping and feeling full and sated he helped Gael clean the plates in the sink and put away the condiments, he found out that the washer and dryer were hidden in a cupboard in the kitchen, so that was a fun little moment, in fact, most of the extra things were hidden away in tasteful cupboards around the home, it added to the more minimalist design of the space he supposed.

When Gael unlocked the door to the caves Dib felt the air brush past his face, it did not smell musty like he thought it would, and Gael lit a lantern as they descended downwards, the caves had markers on each wall showing where the dead ends were, in fact, most of the tunnels were dead ends but for the main one they were now following. It went down and down and got warmer then suddenly a blast of fresh air hit Dib in the face and he was left blinking in the sun.

This too, would count as a dead end really, if it were not for the giant hole above them, Dib could see the trees of the forest above and the ground here was covered in moss and grass, flowers were still blooming and vines reached up the insides of the cavern, reaching into the forest above them.

They had to be at least five to seven stories down.

There was a little trickle of water that came from one of the other Dead ends in the cave that held an underground stream, the stream had been going somewhere and Dib had been curious, now as he saw the water bubbling into a little pool here before it rushed into the ground again due to small cracks in the stone that sucked it up and into an unknown place he knew at least one stop along the stream’s journey.

He spent the rest of the morning in the cavern, watching little newts scuttle about and catching a frog While Gael sat by a wall and wrote in a small notebook as he smiled to himself before they had to head over by afternoon to see Gael’s neighbour.

\------------------------

Dib woke up by the jolt of the jeep parking, the rhythmic rocking that came from driving unpaved roads had lulled him to sleep. He was still bleary as Gael walked over to his side of the car and unbuckled him, then with amazing gentleness picked Dib up. Dib was vaguely aware of being asked if he would like to be put down, but time had seemed to stop for him, as it often seemed to when Gael held him. He could hear something this time, something that was not Gael’s heartbeat, something softer yet undeniable, a humming sound unlike the distraction of the lights, this one felt right.

It felt like a sound he knew so very well and had been missing all along.

Gael meanwhile was not sure what to do so he stood frozen at the moment, the hum that bubbled from him was reflexive and he knew it…but when Dib started to answer with his own little chirps…ones he knew that his kind would use when they relocated with a parent.

Even if they were unconscious on Dib’s part Gael thought he might cry.

They just stood there like the world around them had faded at that moment and they were the only ones there, they held on for dear life, both minds for different reasons singing the mantra of “Don’t leave me alone when you find out what I am.”

The door to the ranger hut swung open and a woman with strawberry red hair and a pale face covered in freckles walked up to them and all but pushed Gael inside.

“come on you nerd’s, you are being all weird and chirpy outside…what even though.”

Dib looked up at the sound of the voice, it was much more confident than when he had last heard it.

“Ghost?”

* * *

Zim shook one of his legs' free of the weasel that was trying to gnaw on it and sighed. He had planned on releasing these in the Dib’s room as the human slept, unfortunately for Zim, the human was not there, so the weasels had decided to chew on him instead.

Zim had upturned the town and looked everywhere for his rival so he could try and get him and have one of their regular bouts of fisticuffs. The morning had been very disappointing for Zim.

He had called his leaders, gotten minimal input and been laughed at by the crew of the massive while he was placed on hold indefinitely.

He got the feeling they did not like him much.

As that thought entered his mind, he shook it away, he was great he was ZIM! There is no way they could not like him, but the day had been disappointing and he wanted to fight with his rival to ease him back to his regular high spirits.

Nothing quite like starting the day by pressing your heel to your rival’s trachea and showing your obvious dominance.

Yet there was no Dib-human to be found anywhere Zim was reminded of how Dib had stated he would be gone for two weeks yet his surveillance showed that Dib’s family unit was still in their home. Well, the sister unit was.

The father unit was at the Labs that he worked at, Zim had checked to see if Dib had followed the father unit to his place of work once more. There was no Dib there or anywhere, that alone unsettled Zim.

Could they have sent the Dib to an asylum again?

Zim would not admit out loud or even to himself that when Dib had been locked away, he had become so very lonely. Without his rival who actually saw Zim, everyone else ignored him, they did not see how much of a threat he was.

Dib did though, and he was not going to let them send his rival to an asylum again.

He tried not to focus on the fact that he had so much more opportunity to take over the world while dib was gone as he marched up the sidewalk to Dib’s residence and knocked loudly on the door.

He could hear Gaz inside, she yelled that she was coming and he heard her as she swore and almost closed the door in Zim’s face as soon as she opened it.

Luckily, he was able to roll inside and interrogate the human.

“Sister-human! Where is your pathetic brother unit?! He has not been around all day to foil Zim’s plans, Explain to ZIM!!”

Gaz in her typical boring fashion looked back down to her hand-held gaming device and spoke as it beeped in her hands.

“Dib is with his other Dad for two weeks, and yeah, I know we already have a dad but long story short; Dib and I are clones, or at least I am and Dib is like…an actual kid with two parents who just so happen to both be guys.”

Zim blinked his contact covered eyes one after the other.

This was news to Zim who; for all his research thought that Dib was the product of two human’s coupling process. A disgusting event with too much fluid…He thought that the Dib-human’s mother unit was dead due to violently giving birth to the Gaz-creature, he had tried to simulate the pain a mother felt through childbirth, and even he thought the process was much too cruel even for these disgusting humans.

“What? But that does not explain why the Dib human is not here, He lives here!”

Zim was flapping his arms as he ranted and walked in a circle.

Gaz just rolled her eyes and walked over to the door to open it and let Zim out.

“Look, Zim, you probably need to research custody and divorce to really get what is going on, I sure as hell am not explaining it to you. Now; Get. Out.” 

After very rudely being thrown out onto his backside after pitching a fit, Zim got up, stuck his tongue out at the house and proceeded to his base to do what the Gaz had said.

Time to conduct some research…just to understand his enemy better if nothing else.

* * *

Never in a million years did Dib think he would be sitting on the couch of a young adult he had helped get out of a mental hospital.

Yet here he was on the faded floral print of an antique sofa sipping cocoa out of a teacup and fidgeting a little as he sat.

Ghost in the meantime was going over some things, she was so to the point and did not put up with nonsense…She felt like what people would call an old soul. She was about seventeen when he met her, he was surprised she was living alone.

Would he have the courage to do that himself one day? He thought scared him almost as Ghost clearing her throat, a sound that made him jump out of his seat.

“Look, I will be frank with you Dib, I asked Gael to bring you here because I was the one who gave him the samples to help his case.” 

She rose from her wooden chair and set her teacup down as a timer dinged where it sat on a shelf above a wood-burning stove.

As she passed crystal windchimes began to tinkle in a soft melody of movement, Gael looked a little uncomfortable at her sharing this but he kept his mouth firmly closed.

“I did not think I would be doing it out of kindness before I got locked up I caught wind of his court case from my mother. She was the opposition working for Membrane. I figured I could get good money when I got out if I sold your DNA to this chump.”

Gael actually huffed out a laugh.

“Well, that is rude Ria.”

Ghost or Ria smiled, it lit up all the way to her eyes.

“Oh shove it, nerd, The point is; you somehow got me out…you did me a solid so I decided to do this because…well, kid let's face it…Your Dad put you there and even my mum who was defending Membrane had to gloss over aspects of his parenting to make sure he could keep you.”

Dib was trying not to cry, tears pricked at the corner of his eyes, and Gael looked like he wanted to reach out and comfort him but held himself back.

“Why are you telling me all this?”

His voice cracked as he spoke and he hated it, he wanted it to stop, he wanted his feelings to stop, he knew his dad was not a grade-A parent, he lived through being locked out of the house as a four-year-old, a night that haunted him to this day.

It shaped him into the freak he was today.

“I am telling you this…Want a cookie?”

She held out an oatmeal cookie to him as it sat on a plate still steaming from the oven. He took the plate in slightly shaky hands and stared at Ria.

“I am telling you all this because I know what you have gone through and I want This idiot to be upfront with you.”

She jerked her thumb towards Gael who jumped a little in his seat.

“I…Wanted to wait at least till the end of the two weeks…”

The young woman sighed shaking out her red hair.

“Look, he needs to know what he is a part of and what he is, let him make the choice of whether or not he wants it.”

Dib was so confused and scared, were these two part of some cult? Was Gael a murderer or cannibal?

“Dib, I’m a witch. And this man over here is a Cryptid. I have charms all over him and a few other people in this town to keep them concealed.”

Dib blinked and then started to laugh a bit, a bitter feeling clenching at his heart.

“Oh, I get it. you are just trying to make fun of the “insane” kid, right?”

Gael tried to speak but was swiftly shut up by Dib.

“You think I don’t already know I am wrong? That everyone already whispers about me because I believe in these things? Guess what? I don’t CARE anymore, no one believes me and no one likes me and I am a waste of space no one will love! I GET IT, STOP RUBBING IT IN MY FACE THAT I AM WRONG!”

The man beside him tried to reach out to Dib who was trembling with rage, eyes wide with worry for this young man yet dib had other plans. flipping the table to distract them as he began to run, out the door and past the jeep.

It was getting dark but that didn’t matter to Dib.

He had been lied to; Gael must have known all along.

He knew they both KNEW he loved monsters and cryptids and they staged this whole thing.

They must know he thought Zim was an alien, they must know that and they staged this as some sort of prank.

His Father probably pulled it as an elaborate way to get him out of his “phase’ of believing in the paranormal.

Dib kept running in the unfamiliar woods, branches scraping across his face as he tried to navigate with tear-stained vision. He lost track of how far he had run even though his side hurt and the sun had set. He kept going until he tripped landing face-first into the Dirt.

He laid there sobbing and hoping some predator would finish him off.

Faintly, he thought he heard a whooshing sound that mingled with the sound of his tears. He felt something prod him and it felt like it had claws.

Good, maybe he would die and save everyone the trouble.

He felt himself be lifted and was pressed to something very soft, like a down pillow.

He looked at the situation and froze.

Around him were two jet black limbs, covered in dusty feathers that melted into scaled claws like a bird or raptor just below the elbow. The creature was covered with feathers that were both soft, yet also smooth and scale-like. Dib in his panic was reminded of reversible sequence, he would bet if he rubbed this one way or the other, they could be Smooth and hard or soft and fluffy. The creature sported the same claws on its feet though an extra one was upon the back of the foot and looked like that of a bird of prey. With his cheek pressed to the creature’s chest, he had to crane his neck to look up, but here he saw it, two lamp-like reflective golden eyes, soft drooping antennae that were feathered all along…and the massive black wings that dwarfed its body in size, the wings looked dusty and moth shaped and Dib Gaped at the cryptid before being jolted by a striking voice that he knew all too well now.

“Dib…It is okay. I have you, you are okay, you are not wrong.”

Dib felt his heart race and his eyes widen as nausea clenched his throat.

“Gael…So…This is true?”

Dib felt the Mothman chitter softly, the strange feeling of comfort coming over him even as the massive wings closed around the two of them in a full hug that blocked out all light but for those two massive eyes.

“Sleep for now. We will speak more of this in the morning little one.”

Dib thought he would not be able to fall asleep, yet the exhaustion caught up with him as He felt Gael’s wings unfold and he drifted into a fitful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOO! look, It is another random character...who is a witch?   
> This world is more fantastical than you would know.   
> I hope you all like the giant length of the cave tour and then the tiny description Of Gael as a Mothman.  
> Don't worry, Dib will get a better look at Moth-Dad later.  
> Please comment, It helps me feed the moths in my room!


	3. Silk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The week continues and Dib is going through his homeschooling process and being kept too busy to ask certain questions.  
> he thought he would be happy to leave here...but now he is not as sure.

_He had been locked out. He knew he had, his father had been busy testing Gaz's intelligence all day, something he did on occasion with both of them but lately has been doing so more with his little sister. He could not complain, he did not really like being tested. He enjoyed skill games but he did not like the knot that formed in his stomach knowing the stakes._

_so he had been told to play outside._

_That was okay, he would do what his father wanted and be quiet. That would make his dad smile at him, right? He spent a good long time outdoors, drawing and playing in the dirt. He built things out of leaves and sticks that some engineers could only dream of._

_He was the son of a genius after all._

_Through the imagination, he had sometimes worried his father, who had taken his book of fairytales last night and told him he should focus more on reality than fiction._

_He guessed his dad was right, what did he know after all?_

_He was only four._

_He had gone inside earlier and it had been fine, he had to go to the bathroom before, but now the sun was setting and casting long eerie shadows across the yard._

_He did not expect the automated security system to lock him out but here he was, after knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell he sat on the back stoop and kicked the dirt._

_His dad had to notice he was gone soon...right?_

_The crimson and pink light faded into a bruised purple that marred the sky as darkness reached out to cover the world. Dib clutched and rubbed at his arms, even in summer, the nights were too cold to be wearing only a t-shirt and shorts. He puzzled over when his father would realize he was not in the house and started to curl upon himself, his body began to give in to sleep._

_He awoke with a start, the silence of the night deafening to him, yet he woke because something felt wrong, and that feeling would not leave him._

_It was like something scraping over the back of his skull as he looked around. Amber eyes darting as he peered into the darkness of his backyard. He heard a hiss to the left and slightly above him. His heart caught in his throat with a silent scream as he looked up at the terror clinging to the side of his home._

_Giant wings tucked on it's back that had large eyespots, claws digging into the plaster and enormous golden eyes like headlights on a truck shining down on him. He saw its teeth, like a lamprey it seemed like there were limitless rows, it clawed towards him and he heard it speak some sort of language as he passed out._

**_"ah, Parece que Minha camuflar não funciona para enganar seus Olhos pequenino. bem feito."_ **

_____

"Well, that could have gone worse."

Ria was standing in her doorway watching Gael touchdown and fold up his wings. Honestly, this kid would be the death of Gael, the man was far too nurturing for his own good.

_"I really wish we waited...now there are going to be all kinds of questions and we have to get the council involved…"_

Ria snorted and threw open the door so Gael could hunch through it.

"They have been involved with this kid since the beginning. He is a supernatural magnet. Have you seen how many pictures they have of him and the alien boy fighting?"

She could not help but chuckle. Cause even if no one believed him, Dib was a tough cookie. He may think his entire being was wrong, yet he still stood up for what he believed in.

And boy did he believe in the supernatural.

It was kind of amazing to her that he still kept going and persisting what he knew was true, even though he was so harshly ridiculed for it. 

It was heartbreaking in a way, she had given up trying to tell her mother she was magic ages ago. She had given up on figuring out about her dad. 

And here was this kid holding on tighter than she ever did, he was trying so hard and honestly she just wanted to support him.she watched Gael lay him on the couch as his wings receded into tattoo shapes on his back and he huffed out a sigh reaching over a chair for his discarded shirt.

"I guess I will have to make all the necessary calls soon enough...you think you can deal with the magic branch for me?" 

Watching him change back was still jarring to see. His body cracking back into place and feathers pulling into pores as they had never been.

"Yeah, I can deal with that...so. what should we tell him when he wakes up?" 

She knew they could not give the whole truth, but since he was technically related to Gael, this gave them wiggle room as now Dib would not have to be memory wiped. They had fought in the shadows and Gael had for years before that just to keep Dib safe. 

Dib would probably never know the problems that arose from him knowing about the supernatural, and that was probably fine with Gael. 

But she wanted to be able to tell him everything one day.

For now, though, she would work with what she could.

"Well, that depends on the questions...but suffice to say we know what we can and cannot answer." 

Ria snapped her fingers as she realized something.

"You forgot to tell your dad! That old blood wanted you to tell him when he officially got a grandkid!"

She watched with a Grin as Gael moaned and slumped on the couch with his face in his hands.

"He will smother Dib, I think he is a little too much-unbridled affection for someone who has had so little in their life...but yes, I should tell him, and let him know when he can visit since Dib is not settled yet." 

Ria patted Gael on the back with a warm smile. She knew things were going to only get more hectic for them but a stagnant lifestyle would be boring. 

\----

Zim paced so much in his lab he would have burned a hole in the floor if it were not for superior irken architecture.

His research on this Dee-vorce and Child custody had at first been pleasing when he read up all the problems children of divorce and split custody could have. Then it trickled into irritation that Dib would not be around at all as he had gone through student services records to find out why Dib was absent at their filthy school on Monday. The stink-pig would be at “home-school” while under the care of his other progenitor. 

How annoying. 

It was odd to see the Table that Dib usually sat at be occupied by a group of giggling girls that never would have talked to Dib otherwise. Truth be told. Zim was more popular than Dib was, sure he hung around the idiot meatheads called by their peer's "jocks," but these idiots would easily do his bidding because he had demonstrated over many gym classes that despite being a head shorter than them and not yet reaching a growth-spurt, as the humans liked to call it; he was, in fact, stronger than all of them and could easily destroy them in any pathetic earth trial in the gym.

Once he had their respect he used them to make Dib miserable. Spreading information to them that would make them dislike Dib.

But now Dib was not here to make Miserable so he may as well sit and wait. Thinking of his next plan.

It was odd how many of his plans recently revolved around hurting Dib and less around total annihilation of the human race as a whole. He liked to think it was him ridding himself of an obstacle. And was Dib ever an obstacle.

The dirt-child always was poking his head where it did not belong, was always a nuisance, and to make it worse, dib had gotten so quiet after being sent away the last time. 

The usual fire that his nemesis had was lacking in some way when he came back, instead of being loud, proclaiming what he knew, trying to make other see the error of their ways and help them out of their ignorance; this Dib was silent, looming. Looking more on edge than usual. He looked like anything would set him off, but when Zim or any of the other students picked on him or hurt him...he had a look of eery calm on his face that was off-putting. 

Dib used to deflect blows, now he would sometimes just take a hit. 

It was like the moron wanted to be in pain. 

The silence that his nemesis showed should not bother him, but Zim had to admit it did at least a little. He was a proud irken elite warrior.

He should be shown the respect by being treated like the threat he was by his nemesis. Yet Dib had become more passive and that was the worst. What Could Zim do to make Dib realize him as a threat once more?

“Zim? Man if you keep staring like that at them pancakes they are gonna catch on fire dude.” 

One of the Jocks broke him out of his reverie and he stared up at him giving him a grin.

Now that was not a terrible idea at all. 

\----

Dib tried and once again failed to push past a magically created wind in order to get through a small obstacle course. The problem was…

Ria was his P.E teacher, and one of the obstacles.

He had been so stoked before to learn that he was related to a Mothman, then that joy faded to a dull glimmer as Ria slapped him with a harsh reality.

“Dib, most people who are half-born never look like their full born parent, and the number of people who are half-born like me and can use magic is low too.” 

He wanted to be upset but it made sense, why would he get to be special? No matter what he was still that one kid no one would ever notice back home...but, he began to feel like he had some purpose here in these woods. He ducked and weaved through all the brambles trying to capture a red waving flag loosely tied to a thin birch tree only to be pushed back onto his behind once again, he got up and restarted his pursuit. 

When he woke, he had so many questions some of which were answered, others that he was told they could not answer for now. 

But he took what he could. 

He was indeed Gael’s son, Gael was an almost full breed Mothman, his mother was a half breed who died when he was young and his father was old blood or a creature that has been around so long they have lived a few lifetimes. His father was now a successful CEO and Dib had been warned that this person would one day want to meet him. 

He asked about other cryptid's and legendary creatures existing and was met by wary shrugs.

"We can't exactly tell you who is and isn't something inhuman, it is a breach of privacy." 

So he asked about other things, like rules that their little secret society had and magic. It was a long answer, 

"Dib, our kind is old, lots of us are, and with every legend, there is some grain of truth. Nowadays most of us blend into society using the magic a witch or wizard will gift us if we fall under their zone." Dib learned that places were split into "zones" and witches and wizards acted as bridges between humans and Inhumans as their silent protectors. Gale had then shown off the wing Tattoos on his back. Full detailed black lines with a soft shimmer and ripple like the skin were just barely containing the wings in tattoo form.

"Gael got these when he was a kid, and honestly they are amazing. It is hard to imbue ink with magic then put that into a person without it losing some of its sparks. I usually just infuse crystals and use them as trinkets to hide a person when they wear them. See most Inhumans look to their witch or wizard to provide a glamour, healing and other things."

Any talk Dib wanted to have about their society was a bit stilted. For the most part, they all agreed on staying hidden among humans but there were some outliers from the sounds of it…some creatures who believed humans were a plague on the earth. It was frightening to know that some creatures very much so wanted Humans to die.

Then again, that is a thing Zim Did and Dib was pretty sure humanity could survive almost anything.

Ria let Dib know that he had a small chance of being able to do magic one day. Though his chance of ending up like Gael as a fully-fledged Mothman was infinitesimal. Still, now that Dib knew about magic Ria took the kid gloves off.

P.E was gruelling at school and even more exhausting when it was one on one, there was no one to hide behind, though it was nice in some ways to be away from him and his gang of jocks. Every part of his body hurt and he had been trying to get a flag for half an hour. Eventually, he got a lunch break and got to shower, he was covered in dirt, smelled like sweat and was pretty sure he would feel sore forever.

He never did get that flag though. 

Schooling with Ria and Gael at the Helm was an interesting experience. It was a lot of practical real-world knowledge and physical training from Ria, and more book knowledge from Gael. Though Gael did work through "life skills" as he called it. It was disastrous in truth, Dib was afraid he would have burnt the kitchen down if it had any wood in it.

And he had just been boiling an egg.

Truthfully he was starting to feel weird about everything. If his Dad was here and was watching him fail repeatedly he would just shake his head and walk away, With Gael and Ria though every time he messed up they tried to encourage him or pointed out a way he could improve rather than belittling his failings like his peers, or they would show him what to do but in a different way once more. 

It was strange, foreign, and it made him confused. 

He loved the aspect of this that yes;'the paranormal is real and you will never know it professor membrane.'

But he felt so strange overall this unwarranted kindness. He had done nothing. Why were these two being so nice to him? What did they expect of him? 

He was pondering this over and over on his first week whenever he had to time off. In between begging Ria to attempt to teach him magic. Sometimes he would just wander into the caves and find a quiet place to think. Gael never questioned why, but he did ask if he was staying safe and enjoying himself. 

_'Why is he asking me this? Why are they nice? They are not after my dad...so what do they want from me?'_

He wished he had a weighted blanket here, he found it helped to ground him back at home when he was feeling low and no one would talk to him he wrapped himself up and just got to forget that the world existed. He actually worked up the nerve to ask Gael if there was a chance That He could get one to leave here by buying one after the two weeks were up and packing it in his things next time. he was worried he would be told no or asked why he needed it. 

Instead, that simple request led to his current Life skills project which included sewing, sand, and two big quilts.

He found himself actually enjoying this project. math and regular schoolwork were pretty simple but he was proud of this. He had picked out the fabric when they had to get supplies for the kitchen since the last disaster, and although Gael was ready to pay, Dib used his own money and got one quilt fabric of glow in the dark stars over a dark grey backdrop. And little neon spaceships over a black backdrop.

He bought the thread and the sand and extra fabric to make the sand insert layer. 

And Gael sat and taught him with scrap fabric how to sew. He put a couple of rubber slips over Dib's fingers to protect them and went hand over hand with him to show him how. 

It made Dib remember when he was little how he and his dad had designed a robot together...they never made it through, and The professor was much too busy to make something not sanctioned by his work. 

The blueprints just sat gathering dust.

Dib would use this though, whenever he came back which was odd to think about in the middle of his second week. That he would get to come back to this...he still did not know how to deal with Ria and Gael being kind to him and not seeming to want anything in return.

He once thought someone had wanted to be his friend at school, they were nice, they had sat next to him at lunch and let him chat about his interests. 

It had been a lie. The boy he had thought he had made a friend in really just had been listening so intently because he wanted to spill all his secrets to people around school. A week into their friendship and the other child had posted pages around the school about the things Dib had talked about. 

His Hope's, his dreams...everything. they all had found him amusing, a laughable joke.

He stopped trying with people after that. They really only wanted to step on each other to get what they wanted. He refused to be like that. He would be better than all of them, he would silently save them and prove them all wrong. He looked up from his charcoal drawing of a small lizard he had seen in the caves that he was making for art class.

He may not know what the end goal was for Gael and Ria but he knew who he wanted to be, so even if this was a ruse he would embrace being a protector of humanity...no matter how they pushed him.

It was the right thing to do.

He never looked up to the opening in the cave top, he never saw the deep golden eyes that were fixed on him. Before vanishing.

\----

"Dad, come on Dib is coming back tomorrow, I know you are busy and all but cant you come and see him?" 

Gaz actually had felt Dib's absence more than she thought she would. Sure her brother was annoying and needy but that was probably because she was the closest thing To professor Membrane and he was not the most...caring individual.

Chalk it up to nurture over nature but she kinda missed him a bit. It was weird not having him up and getting her, her favourite cereal down from the shelf in the morning, it was weird not having him stock up the fridge and freezer with microwaveable meals for them.

And it was weird how quiet the house felt without him around.

No yelling at him from out his window, No annoying chillhop songs playing on his stereo, no sitting across from her and attempting conversation only for her to shoot it down.

It was all silent for once and she thought she would be okay with that, but she really wasn't. Despite being like her father she loved her brother, and even though she bothered him and hurt him sometimes...he loved her too.

And perhaps that unconditional love was like a curse to her, because it gave her a taste of what a nice life could be.

Her father liked things with use, things that gleaned results. She knew it was silly to waste time on things that had no merit...but she wanted to try, Dib showing her that love had made her hope her father would too one day.

So she performed at and above excellence always. She was revered and feared by her peers, intelligent, strong what more could anyone want? 

Her father apparently, he still was too busy most of the time. She tried to gain his notice in any positive way she could but that was never enough. And when Dib failed he noticed. So she often would let him know of his failings just to catch his notice…

And she knew it was her fault she had sent her brother there. She had let their father know too many times about his insanity at school and that got her brother put away. 

Dib was so different. Even though some things were the same. Now he barely would try to engage in conversation...he would try to stay away from home for as long as possible...he looked tired.

His eyes were duller than before and that...she blamed herself for a bit.

"Sorry Gazleen, but there are important breakthroughs at the lab and I am needed there. Make sure your brother behaves himself, call me if he does anything drastic." 

There it was, the telltale click of the call ending. 

With a sigh, she hung up the phone.

She would never make a call like that again. She would keep her brother safe. 

He deserved at least that from her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at me go! this only took way too long. Whoo boy.   
> thank you all for being patient with this nonsense, this bad boy really took way too long so I appreciate all your support!   
> please enjoy the weird training montage like structure of this chapter and the slow and weird setup I have going. 
> 
> Best wishes and enjoy each day right now, times may be uncertain but try to spread a little joy to those around you as best you can!


	4. Lepís

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back home Dib makes a pivotal choice about what he will do in the future, a change to his "code" as a hero.  
> Meanwhile, Zim struggles with this obvious change to Dib.   
> Gaz Is confused, but she can see the good this may do for her brother.

_The cell was so empty, the wall of concrete covered with a cushioned panelling to keep him and others from hurting themselves._

_It was his fault he was here._

_He trusted someone and it had come back to bite him._

_"No one understands...they all think I am broken."_

_He muttered softly even as the humming light above him dimmed._

_He felt so alone here, no one even bothered to come to see him._

_He had to laugh at the stupidity of his situation._

_He had not been called out for fighting Zim or even for being off-putting._

_No, he had fought back after the person he had trusted with something personal had the gall to tell everyone._

_The hate and slurs were too much for him after finding the hundredth note telling him to leave for his romantic preferences._

_He snapped._

_He had to admit it had been satisfying yet awful all on one, it was not justice or vengeance. It was a massacre._

_He had hurt someone innocent, at the moment he had seen the person he had wanted to hurt. The person who he had come to trust and was destroyed by._

_The kid he hurt was so broken and everyone else around him, even the teachers who had broken up the fight looked terrified of him._

_He was a monster._

_It was not the first time since arriving at the Institute that Dib would cry himself to sleep._

\-----

"Dib...it is time to wake up."

Gael was having a hard time saying that, throughout their ride back into the city Dib had looked miserable until the little one had finally slumped over and fell asleep against his side as he drove.

And heavens above if those small chirrups were not the cutest sound Gael had ever heard; though he was biased in his opinion of Dib.

Though, he felt the boy needed someone to think highly of him from time to time.

With a gentle shake, he roused Dib from his sleep, the little one letting loose a humming sound, searching for his parent. Gael hummed back in turn as Dib woke more the sounds stopped. Still, it was nice Dib could make them at all, maybe he had a few more of his kinds traits than he first thought.

"Oh...um. sorry for falling asleep on you Gael."

The boy was fidgeting with the hem of his hoodie, he wore a lot of those, though Gael was sure at least at one point the boy had a loved trench coat.

Gael tried to focus on what Dib was saying, though now he had lulled into silence again.

"you have my cellphone number, call if you need help, I will try to drop what I am doing to see you."

Dib remained silent as Gale tapped the steering wheel.

"Do you want me to walk you to the door?"

The boy shook his head and Gale could not help but feel a little proud of his independence, even if it was due to...unavoidable circumstances.

Still, he got out of the car and handed Dib his bag, but before the young man could scurry away he caught him in a hug, pressing into it all his sorrow over the long years without him, and the joy in now having him around, if only he could convey this with words.

"Be safe, Dib."

As he was released from the embrace Gael was sure he saw tears collect in the corners of those amber eyes.

As he watched Dib walk quickly up to the door of his home with Membrane and close it behind him, Gael tried to regain his composure. A soft trill escaping him without his desire.

Stars above he hoped his boy would remain safe.

\---

Dib did not expect a greeting, and sure enough, he got very little. Gaz was there, however, and honestly, he was happy she made the effort. Even though his sister still wanted the professor's approval she tried, even if it was half-hearted.

Gaz said hi from the couch and that was about it, Dib returned the greeting before climbing the stairs and laying himself sprawled out on his bed.

This was a whole lot to process, all his suspicions about the supernatural were real, he was part of it...he was not fully human.

And honestly, he was starting to feel glad for it, when had humanity ever been kind to him? His heart fluttered with excitement knowing he did not need to protect humanity if that was the case, no he could do something else since humanity abandoned him he would leave the ones who had tried to watch him burn in the dust. He pulled his knees up to his chest and held them close.

He did not need them, he had a new truth, and even though he did not fully trust his new "family"...he trusted the humans around him less and less.

"I will protect myself, the supernatural and those who ask for help...but that is it I am done, I am going to move on and be better."

He looked at his corkboard with red yarn all leading up to a picture of zim. With measured steps, he walked over and took the shaky blurred Polaroid photo in his hands and with a deft movement, ripped it clean in two.

"I am not that anymore, I want to be better, I will do better."

And so began the cleanse.

He was not going to be the monster.

\---

The Dib-beast was back! Zim had tried all his usual methods of getting The filth's attention but that was not working, spit-balls, tripping, even his peons slamming Dib against his locker garnered no real response.

Normally The Dib would still look at him and hold a look of grim determination against his foe as their eyes locked, this was not that though.

Zim had gotten nothing!

Dib Did not even look at him, and their classmates took notice, whispers were flitting about, the usual ones about how maybe Dib was sent to the rehabilitation facility again, how maybe this time they had "fixed" him.

It was ludicrous, to say the least. But maybe something had happened, something Zim would correct. Dib loved to try and prove that the MIGHTY ZIM had done heinous acts. Well, this newest attempt would give Dib something to chew on.

Zim let his fingers press down onto a little "watch" he had on his wrist and pressed the timer button.

And counted.

There was a count of ten seconds, a rumble than a whooshing sound.

All hell broke loose.

Humans scattered fleeing as the alarm bells rang, sprinklers sputtered and died, even though fire drills were practised no one actually ever stayed calm during them. Zim proceeded to the front of the line looking For Dib, but he was not there. No, he was wincing in pain, yet looking back and walking to the back of the class, there on the floor was one of the pig smellies, an ugly hyooman girl with some illness that made her weak to sound. She was curled up and held her hands to her head.

Zim was flabbergasted, Dib did not look at him, not try to draw attention to the cause, he turned around and was helping a human!

What had happened to his nemesis?

\---

He had decided, he was going to be a hero still...but in a new way. He would help people like him. Olivia never talked to him, she never talked to anyone. Her hair was still cut short and her voice was still rough. She was taller than Dib too with mousey brown hair.

But she was a girl who needed his help so he would do it if she was okay with it.

She was doing what he felt like doing, her body hunched over, hands covering her ears, the only difference between the two of them is that his time fighting Zim forced him to move his body, even in situations where he wanted to crumple to a heap. the heat in the room was getting bad. He draped his hoodie over her head to help muffle the sound of the alarms and held out a hand to her. She probably could not hear him anyway but she took his hand, getting to her feet and leaning against him. They made it to the door like that, his arm around her so she could use him as a crutch. This proved to be difficult with the height difference but he did his best to support her. slowly following the line of their classmates, they made their way to the exit. they were the last ones. even with the sound of the alarms blaring he could hear it, the ceiling beams cracking apart. He shoved the girl forward toward the exit and became entrapped inside the burning building.

\------

“Let me go! He is still in there!”

the Girl Dib had helped was being held back by two men in white coats with crosses of red-stitched onto the shoulders. The fire department, police and the paramedics had arrived on the scene, asking questions of the students and teachers.

“I bet it was that crazy kid...Dib right? he would totally do something like this.”

“Oh yeah, that kid is freaking insane, they should keep that gay retard locked up.”

The murmuring grew in pitch and volume until a single whistle blasted and cut out all sound...the English teacher, a woman who Zim could not help but be reminded of tallest myuiki.

She had a commanding presence, even while exhausted, she expected the best and he had to admit she worried him, her pale eyes seemed to look through him rather than at him.

“The student in question was in my homeroom and went out of his way to help a classmate. he is now stuck in the blaze, so I suggest everyone hold their tongues.”

It was amazing how fast everyone, even the other teachers shut up when this normally soft-spoken woman raised her voice, her very being shook Zim to the core. He had tried to get rid of her, yet she always seemed to be two steps ahead of him at any given time.

He looked at the burning building, a strange feeling of his throat clenching uselessly.

Dib would be fine…

Right?

\----

He got low down on his stomach right away and started crawling to look for an alternate route. If he could reach a classroom he could get through a window, if not he would have to figure something else out.

he crawled but it was all becoming too much, the sound, the smoke, the orange glow beckoned him and he had to put his head down and scream into the tiles at the unfairness of it all.

Here he was, having his dreams realized, being related to the coolest species of cryptid ever, trying to be a better person and not dealing with Zim. (Only when he was not destroying the world, because he wanted Gaz and maybe Gael and Ria to live) 

"I am going to die now...what a fucking joke."

He started to wheeze and laugh.

"I am going to die now when I finally want to live again."

He could feel his head spinning and his vision clouded as a pair of dress shoes clicked in front of him.

**"Bem, pequena, acho que você não pode morrer ainda."**

Dib was in no state to understand or question the words. He fell to his face once more, smoke filling his lungs.

He woke on a stretcher, he could tell some of the staff and most of the student body accused him, but Olivia spoke up for once, she told everyone he had pushed her out of the burning building, that and Dib was in class when it had started and had done nothing with chemicals or gone to the section of the school where the blaze started. He did not bother even trying to say Zim had done it. It was obvious, but no one would believe him.

Yet he felt something light up in him when Olivia and his English teacher stuck their necks out for him.

No one ever stood up for him, he had to stand up for himself, yet here he was being hauled onto an ambulance listening to the sound of people who honestly believed he would never do anything so heinous.

\---

Gaz was skipping, hell to the system, hell to her perfect record, Dib was in the hospital.

Dib never went to the hospital, even when he was badly injured fighting Zim he never ended up in one of those places, he always was okay, even when he was beaten up it was superficial.

So the fact that he was there now put her on edge.

She could feel a gaze on her back and she sighed, lowering the console of her game slave as she walked.

"What do you want zim?"

She knew it was Zim, the idiot was the only one with the stupidity to try and follow her.

"DIB SISTER! What is wrong with your brother unit? Is the Worm boy broken!?"

There stood the idiot, in all his glory, posing on the sidewalk with a finger pointing at her like it meant something. Still, Zim complaining about her brother being "broken" was weird for her.

"Shut up Zim, for all I know you are the reason my brother is in the hospital. Just stay the heck away from him."

Zim was about to scream when a motorbike pulled up behind them.

"Gaz? I got a call, Dib is in the hospital...were you walking there?"

Gaz had only seen him a handful of times. Gael.

He was easy on the eyes, even if he had worked with her father he looked no more than in his late twenties, an odd thought to her.

"Yeah, I was. What's it to you?"

Gael pulled an extra helmet out from his riding bag.

"I understand if you don't want the lift, me being a stranger and all but if you would like we can get there faster."

Gaz realized that Gael had not even addressed zim and he did not seem like the rude type. A glance around showed her that The green idiot had vanished. Gael did not mention that it was "wrong" for her to be skipping school. She could appreciate that maybe the guy was okay.

"Sure, it beats walking."

The adult looked floored for a moment but spent time fussing over securing her helmet properly and telling her how to hold and sit. He even drove slower. It was a strange level of consideration that their father had never shown them. They were to be independent and self-sufficient. But this was probably what Dib needed in his life. The support that just cared about you based on feelings. Gross.

Still, as they made their way to the hospital in silence she could appreciate this individual who did not bother to park further away from the doors. Her father always insisted on parking farther away, either because of reporters being around or to look good in the public eye for leaving spaces for the physically handicapped. She knew it was not done out of real kindness.

It just looked better that way.

This man still held himself confidently as he strode up to the front desk though, much like her father he too was able to put up a front, instead of his seeming kind for the public he put on a colder more professional air. The opposite of the kind façade professor Membrane had.

"I am here to see Dib membrane. His sister is as well. Which room is he in?"

The young woman looked worried for a moment and opened her mouth to refuse before Gael pulled a folder out of his jacket and slapped it down on the table.

"Unless Membrane himself is in that room, and I doubt that, you have no legal right to keep me from seeing my son. Got it?"

His voice was a whisper of deadly venom that froze the receptionist. Gaz opened her eyes out of her usual squint, this guy was a little scary. The young woman nodded as she looked into his still sunglass covered eyes and slipped him the room number tag to show guests were in the room with trembling fingers.

Gaz had thought that Gael was a pushover, that was not the case. He was a nice person who did not let themself be pushed around. She could respect that even if it was begrudgingly.

She was quiet other than one word before they entered Dib's room.

"Thanks."

No more was said between them as she watched the man fuss and fret over Dib's prone form. Dib was asleep and wrapped up, he looked ridiculous and Gaz had to chuckle. The dork would be fine, he never really got too badly hurt...although.

He should have some scars right?

Yet Dib always seemed to be perfectly fine, able to bounce back from everything that had hurt him.

It was weird, she had never cared about this before but it was not normal how fast and well Dib healed.

Sure there were times that he was badly hurt...but that should have scarred right? Yet he seemed to be free of any scars.

She was shaken out of her thoughts by a small rattling cough.

"W-where am I?"

This line of thought could wait, she lowered her game slave and dropped out of the uncomfortable guest chair as she walked over to Dib.

"The hospital dumbo, what did you do?"

The silence was deafening, then Dib just smiled.

“Probably something stupid.”

It sent a pang through her heart, there was no fight left there, just exhaustion from so much pain, yet there also was a lightness to his tone, something she never knew her brother would ever regain.

Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please forgive the lateness, you all are so fantastic for waiting patiently for this work and my other ones while I sorted out my mental health. I really appreciate it.  
> Sorry for not responding to comments, I will try to get to those next!  
> Lots of love;  
> ~Zeo


	5. Ocellus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dib is not doing so well, but to be fair, Neither is Zim.

The evening would have been perfect if not for the rain. It was a good thing Zim was prepared with paste otherwise he would not be able to fulfil his glorious mission!

The Dib was unguarded and left prone to heal in a silly earth facility.

Stupid human would never know what hit him. Zim obviously would have to finish the job this time, then his tallest would praise him after Dib was...disposed of, he would get rid of all the humans on this putrid dirtball and put it to proper use. Like a prison or a work camp.

He was annoyed currently that he had scaled one side of the building only to come up empty. His pak legs clicked against the brickwork of the old building and the joints cast a soft glow against the windows as he peeked in.

Each window was large but barred so no patient would be able to jump, Zim knew the defective humans,( like The Dib.) Were prone to emotional outbursts of "self-harm" or "suicidal idealtion."

Humans were such an inferior race and The Dib was perhaps the most inferior of all. Going against his progenitor, having interests outside of the norm, and just being allowed to exist despite being broken.

Zim was unsure why the Dib made him so angry he liked to think it was due to the fact that he was the perfect irken and anything outside of perfection should be purged. Though a small voice, one he did not entertain whispered at him from the back of his mind that the reason he was so angry at Dib all the time was that they were so alike, and he wished beyond anything for...well he did not know what because that thought was not true because he was not broken like Dib.

He was perfect.

Not defective.

It was the third floor and the twentieth window across. A plain private room which would be easy to overlook if not for the light being on and a form resting propped up on pillows within the hospital bed with a book in his hands, dark hair splayed out on the pillow in messy curls. Golden eyes half-lidded and surrounded by a sea of bruised purple from lack of sleep. This was his quarry and Zim waited silently for The Dib to fall asleep. Another thing that made humans weak and pointless.

A pathetic species.

His antenna perked at the dull thud of the book falling to the floor an hour later, Dib finally succumbing to his species need for rest. Zim acted quickly, using his pack legs to unscrew and hold the bars while he deftly crawled in through the window. Dib did not deserve a heroic death after ignoring him. He deserved this.

He stepped quietly on the white tiled floor in the white room with a white bed. It was like the only colour in this room was Dib and even then it was being engulfed by white bandages and sheets as if this room itself wanted to take away all of the colour it experienced.

Zim drew himself up above his enemy on Pak legs two deadly pointed ends aimed at his enemy. One at the head and one at the throat.

Zim figured he would have to dump the body, make it look like Dib had done this himself.

Still, he was gritting his teeth and he had to will himself to act. Dib deserved this and he was going to win for once! He plunged his legs forward.

Almost a hairbreadth from his target, his pack legs stopped their deadly collision. His eyes were wide making the room flood in a berry red as the automatic timer for the lights kicked in plunging the world into darkness. though he could see just fine, and he could feel something. A soft vibration coming from The Dib.

It made something in his spooch clench painfully and his throat tightened.

_Click click click_

He wanted to eat his tongue! Dib was a human just probably making sleepy human sounds and yet those stupid sounds stopped him dead in his tracks!?

The sounds were close to what an Irken could make but they did not make those sounds often anymore.

They were a sign of weakness.

He figured he had to go, the hospital staff had to check on the Dib at some point. He let himself sit on the edge of the bed as his pak legs withdrew.

He let out a Muffled cry as something unexpected happened.

Warmth surrounded him.

* * *

Dib did not want to be woken up, and he certainly did not want to be woken up by the frantic struggles of whatever pillow he was holding. It took a while for it to click in his brain that pillows don't struggle and this was not his room.

Something hard was pressed to his chest too, that was weird. Still, he flipped over pulling the Pillow with him and yawning softly.

"Unhand me now you disgusting earth stink!"

It was a muffled hiss, filled with vitriol.

Huh, Zim came to visit. How fun.

With pain killers running through him he really could not find it in himself to care all that much, it was like the world was more empty for him lately. He was upset and proud of himself all at once for not trying to deal with Zim...still, a part of him missed the thrill of it but he did not want to use Zim to validate his feelings anymore. Slowly he opened his eyes and sighed. Holding Zim more loosely.

"I'm glad you came, no one else other than Gaz and Gael has come yet."

It was surprisingly soft, even to his own ears and Zim ceased his struggles for a moment.

"Zim came here to put an end to you, you stupid pig child!"

That was no surprise to Dib, Zim always had come close but never had fully finished the job yet. Something in him felt resigned to it. Like everything could be okay now that he knew about himself.

He let out a breathy laugh.

"Why are you laughing Idiot boy? The mighty zim is going to kill and mount you upon my wall! I will use your bones as a coat rack!"

He had to smile, despite the obvious ill-will this was so much like Zim.

"I was just...thinking, I guess it would be okay to die. I used to hate the idea y'know? Like I would still have time to make dad proud of me like I still had time to make people see I was right."

He closed his eyes, God he was tired.

"But there is never going to be enough time for that...I decided a bit ago that I was going to stop, trying to expose you. If no one else wants to see how cool you really are they dont...deserve…"

He was having a hard time focusing, his mind drifting slowly through a fog of drugs and sleep.

"That is stupid Dib-beast, you will just make it easier for me to win than! Victory to Zim!"

"If you want to feel like you've won than sure. Well done Zim."

He could feel the irken tapping on his arm and grumbling in irritation muttering about how Dib was taking all the fun out of winning as his arms fell to his sides.

He did not know much of what happened next, just flashes of Zim as he proceeded to leave through the window. Bolting the bars back in place and moving fast enough to only be a berry-red blur of neon light in the nighttime sky. That is what Zim was like, a lightning bolt, beautiful, deadly and gone far too fast.

The thought died in his medicated mind as sleep took him.

* * *

Stupid, stupid, STUPID!!

"master? Whatcha doing?"

An excellent question from Gir...what was he doing? Other than destroying his training room that is.

It annoyed him, no INFURIATED him that Dib would just stop, just up and decide to not bother, sure he had been more broken since the crazy house but…

He had to plan, do something, anything to keep him from idle thought.

He would plan and call the tallests to let them know of his victory, yes! That is what he would do.

He immersed himself in his lab, in blueprints and test tubes, formulae and advanced mathematics. It took two sleepless nights and a couple of calls from the school. Which he had the computer field, telling the administration that he was too Ill to be at school.

"Master, do you really think this plan is sound? It has merit but…"

"SILENCE! the mighty ZIM has made the best plan, for you see, once Zim gets rid of all the cows and pigs and other big meat creatures the humans will have nothing left to eat, leaving them to their DOOM!"

The A.I sighed and muttered unintelligible things. Zim did not care he had Tallests to call.

"Computer! Set up a line of communication to the massive. Zim is going to let the Tallests know of his SWEET victory!"

He stood to attention in front of the screen like the perfect soldier he was while the massive was dialled. Surely his tallests would be delighted to see him.

"You were put on hold, I will Connect through a secure line."

The computer droned as the screen lit up.

The hull of the massive was a sight that made him homesick, how he longed to be back with other irkens.

He was about to open his mouth to address his tallests when Red stepped from his throne.

"I swear if we get another call from that pest I will rip my antennae out."

He was rubbing the space between his eyes with his fingers as purple slid over and held out a doughnut to him.

"Trust me, I believe it. I'm so glad we can leave him on hold indefinitely, 'look at me, I'm zim and I am soooooo good at being an invader.'"

"Um, sirs?"

Zim was frozen.

Red was chuckling.

"Yeah, the only good that comes out of him is the entertainment of watching that piece of defective space junk fail over and over again."

Purple sniggered and waved his arms around in mock gestures that...he made...were they...making fun of him?

"My tallests?"

"Oh even better yet! When he comes to us like a little lost smeet and looks for any scrap of approval, he is so dense he does not even know he is a laughing stock!"

They both started laughing uproariously.

"That's true, it has been a rotation or two and he still has no clue he is on a suicide mission where he will be on that dirtball until he dies in exile!"

The only thing that broke through the haze of their laughter was a pilot trying to get their attention as he watched the image of zim staring at them.

"SIRS!!!"

"What do you want you stupid pilot drone?!"

Red snapped as they turned to see the small screen where Zim was staring at them.

His eyes no doubt wide and filled to the brim with tears.

How could they do this to him? How could they think this about him? He was good and loyal to them.

"Computer?"

"Yes, master?"

"End the call."

The world shut into black.

Now he knew why Dib gave up. Trying to prove yourself to people who don't care is pointless.

He fell to his knees and sobbed as Gir and the computer tried to comfort him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So short for my first Zim-centric chapter! but I did not want to add too much and take away from the good that is going to be the fun of his eventual breakdown.~   
> (I am also adding the ZADR tag and Zim/Dib because there may eventually be flirting in the far future and if that is not your thing I want you to stay safe.)   
> Enjoy and have a great day!  
> ~Zeo


	6. Saturniidae

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moments of time frozen, families being found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, This is a bit of a jumpy chapter, though in my defence this work was supposed to be littered with time jumps because of it being more of an age progression based story, so if we start getting more jumps after I show most of the main cast...well there you are. I am sorry if it breaks some of your flow, though I do still want to show Dib through the ages and phases he grows into.  
> I hope this brings you some joy in the last hours of 2020 and if you are already in 2021 happy new year to you!

It had been a couple of months, slowly but surely Dib was getting into the habit of things.

Two weeks here, two weeks there. It was a good routine and it had been blissfully quiet the first two weeks, Zim had left him alone and he had left Zim alone.

He should have known it would not last.

All of a sudden Zim was out for his blood again, actually, he was more zealous than ever now. The blows he gave were more than just surface level, he had to go to Ria more than once with broken bones.

He hated hospitals and she at least could fix the damage up without him breaking any rules about not seeing Gael during Membranes week.

Not that he had seen his dad at all.

Dad, more like a keeper, still it was due to Membrane's negligence that he never even noticed Dib was coming home busted up regularly.

And Dib was beginning to worry Ria.

At least, that may have been what the look he got was, it was hard to tell since he had nothing to go off of until she outright said it.

She said something the next day when he came in with a busted up arm. The bone poking through. It was like no one in this God-forsaken town cared when they saw an injured child on a bus.

"Dib, I am worried, why aren't you fighting back? This is serious. He is out for a piece of you."

He sighed and rubbed his bruised and cut face. He was not good at this, but he was glad she was concerned.

"Ria, the last time I fought at school I was sent to...that place. I am not going back there."

They stared each other in the eyes and both nodded grimly at the other, understanding in that moment was wordless.

The institute was not someplace you got out of twice.

He stared at her crystal windchimes clinking softly together as she rubbed a really strong smelling concoction over his arm that made him cry out, his bone sinking and snapping back into place at an accelerated rate. It still hurt like hell, but he could move it.

"You are lucky the trait you got from those fuzzy bastards was accelerated healing. That is a worthwhile trait. All I can do is see in the dark."

He scoffed playfully at her.

"Yeah, something that is useful all the time or the thing that only helps when I get hurt. I think I would prefer night vision."

They were smiling at each other, it was weird that they found friendship again, but it made him glad, soon he was wrapped up in a hug that made him close his eyes and wish he had a mother...he wished she would have been someone like Ria.

"Be careful squirt, there are worse things and people out there than Zim, and you need to fight back sometime."

He flashed her a thumbs up before traipsing off into the woods. Leaving Ria and her unseen guest with bemused smiles on their faces.

"Happy you lame excuse for a mosquito? You have seen him. He is...obviously not okay, what are you planning?"

The door burst off its hinges and the room filled with a torrent of Wind as the guest left. Leaving her to sigh and pick up the pieces.

"Seriously Dib...be careful."

* * *

"Hey crazy!"

And he was slammed against a locker, perfect, just what he wanted in his day.

He looked up after the bursts of colour behind his eyes faded, ah, yes. One of the Jocks. Fantastic.

He was being held up by the collar in the locker room choking since Zim was being more aggro to him, so were Zim's underlings, so he never really got a break.

"Hey! Fuck off Jeremy, he hasn't done anything to you!"

Huh...that was new, some kid with mousey brown hair and a wiry frame was standing up to the giant that was Jeremy.

"Oh get lost OLIVER."

There was so much emphasis on the name, Dib was very confused.

"My name is OLIVIA, and just because the P.E teacher does not want me in the girls' locker room, it does not make me any less of a girl!"

Jeremy let go of him and he fell with all the grace of a sack of potatoes

Oliver was Olivia? Wait...Olivia was?

"What it makes you is a freak! God you two belong with each other!"

Jeremy laughed as he sauntered out of the locker room like he was proud to have the last word, idiot.

Olivia was about to wander off looking like she may cry and Dib knew he had to say something.

"Hey, Olivia? Thanks."

She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"We are not freaks okay Dib?"

It was clipped as she tried to keep the emotion out of her voice. Dib wobbled as he stood, grabbing the stuff he had dropped on the ground due to being unceremoniously choked against a locker.

"I mean, we are odd and different, but fuck it. Being normal is overrated."

He flashed her a lopsided smile which she returned.

It was the start of one of the few friendships he had ever known.

* * *

Winter came, the chill was undeniable as everyone sat huddled in the cafeteria, Dib himself nursing his attempt at chicken noodle soup, he had gotten okay at basic stuff...but man it could use more salt.

"So hey Dib! You planning on going to the pep rally?"

Olivia was practically glowing today. She seemed so pleased, though that was probably because her mum got her a dress that she was now wearing, purple with a giant squid diagram that looked straight out of a textbook wrapping around it.

She loved it when she could wear pastel goth clothing, Dib thought it was too bright. But hey, it made her happy. He was new to this whole friendship thing, but Olivia was cool, she entertained some of his weird theories at least and they were planning to hang out at Gael's on their next P.D day and watch horror movies on her laptop.

All in all, having a friend was nice, even if she always was so cold, a thought that only hit him when she playfully slapped his back with a wide toothy grin. Seriously he needed to get her some thermal mittens for Christmas.

"You know I hate all that fake 'school spirit' junk Olivia, it is just the adults and popular kids, you at least have pep, besides, Zim might go and let's be real, I am trying to avoid dealing with him."

Olivia to her credit; smiled sadly while nodding and setting down her bagged lunch as she sat with a plop and creak on the old wooden bench.

"You would think he would get the hint and leave you alone, you are trying to be civil and it is like he WANTS you to get in trouble...I still can't believe your dad almost took his side when he saw you getting beaten up by him…"

Dib flinched at that. Having someone witness his fathers less than stellar parenting had been hard, almost harder than the punches to his face. He and Olivia had been at the driveway to go into his place and work on a project. Then Zim had popped out of a bush and pinned him, just really going for it and wailing on him, of course, Olivia screamed and Membrane had come running. He had separated the boys and immediately asked Dib what he had done, had he assaulted the other boy? Olivia saved him yet again explaining Dib had done nothing wrong and looking highly uncomfortable by the cold way membrane addressed his son.

They never went back to Dibs place for group projects anymore.

"Hey, Olivia can you ask your mum if I can crash at your place again tonight? My dad is home and I just…"

She smiled and waved her phone showing a conversation she had with her mum, asking if Dib could stay over again.

She got a thumbs up and a heart.

Olivia's mother, Bernie was a tough deep-voiced wonderful woman who loved her job as a nighttime security guard, she actually was really happy Dib and Olivia were friends and she and Gale talked now about playdates and the like...it felt so normal and domestic…

Then there were the times when Dib was in Membranes custody.

"She wants to Rip his face off y'know? She says being busy and being a single parent is no excuse over not showing your kid decency. Plus he never replies to her when she updates him on where you are, or if he does he just says, 'very well' who says very well over text Dib?"

Ah yes, this conversation, Dib was not sure how he felt about membrane and honestly, he was beginning to just block him out to surround himself with the warmth and friendship he had found. He only would drop by for Gaz, trying to make her easily microwaveable meals ( not that he was any good at cooking yet.)and putting sticky notes on the containers in the fridge for her...she would smile when she gave him back a container. That is what drove him to try to cook better, he wanted Gaz to be happy, so he took the care to give her his time and offered to spend time with her, she mostly ignored his offers, but sometimes she would want him home.

They would watch Disney movies and play video games until they fell asleep curled up on top of each other.

This new version of normal was becoming nice, sure he got the tar kicked out of him on occasion, but he also had something to hope on, something that made his life have meaning even when he let everyone circle and beat him, even when Zim stabbed him with pak legs and blasted him with a laser.

"Earth To Dib, you are spacing out again you dork, I know I am pretty today but seriously."

He snorted.

"Sorry, just kinda thinking how everything has been changing for me so fast...and for once it is not a bad change. I met Gael, and You and it is so weird, it is too normal which is kinda nice? I never knew this is what having a childhood was like y'know?"

Olivia nodded.

"I get it, my mum left my dad because I am trans. He was not okay with me wanting to be a girl and she was so pissed off. She said I could be a basketball and she would still love me. So I get my childhood now, it is pretty good, you, mum and not worrying about the extra stuff."

They ate in companionable silence after that. Dib and Olivia shared lots of things now, one just happened to be that each of them had a less than stellar parent and one awesome one.

It was weird still to think of Gael as a parent.

The joy of eating undisturbed was ruined By Zim slamming an apple into the back of Dibs head so hard his head went forward, bashing against the table with his glasses breaking against his face and shredding the skin only around his eyes thankfully.

"Oh my God Dib!! What the fuck Zim? What is wrong with you?!"

Olivia was frantic, the sight of blood made her hysterical with fear, breath coming in short gasps. Dib just stood up silently.

He could feel something mixing with the sticky sensation on his face, it hurt his cuts whatever it was.

"Oh, man is he crying? Look at the freak!"

The guys around Zim were cheering and clapping him on the back. Dib just walked out of the room. Lunch forgotten.

* * *

She was horrified. Dib looked so broken at that moment. He had just left in silence...he had that distant look in his eyes that he got when he had too much sensory stimulation and needed to get away from it.

She had never really tried to get close to anyone here, everyone seemed close-minded for the most part since she still had to use the boy's bathroom and locker rooms.

It was terrible beyond words to be told what you were and to be treated like dirt.

Dib had been that kid, the one she heard about, he had been outed as gay by someone before she transferred. And yeah, he was gay and never denied it.

Even when others beat him.

Even when he was at his lowest.

He did not back down from what or who he was, and that day when she had heard the wailing of the alarm and the bangs of explosions had made her all but immobile….

Who had come to her rescue but the boy who never was given a chance to be seen as anything other than crazy.

Sure, Dib did not like Zim but Zim was always up to something, always out to get Dib and to be perfectly frank...he absolutely was an alien. Olivia just was not allowed to say that.

There were reasons for it.

But now, staring at Zim and his group of four meatheads she felt hate blossom in her chest.

How dare Zim?

Dib was trying so goddamned fucking hard to just be normal and be happy but Zim kept trying to make him snap, to create Hell for Dib.

She was Done with this Bullshit.

"Zim."

She said this with a coldness that seemed to shock the meatheads around Zim and even the boy alien himself who jerked his head to face her.

"I don't care what you think you are trying to do. But Dib is done with you. Stop being an attention whore and get your shit together."

And without missing a beat she threw her water from her bottle in his face, watching him wince in pain and grit his horrible sharp teeth.

The other boys made a grab for her but she ducked gracefully out of the way and stuck out her tongue.

“Careful boys, keep grabbing at me in this crowded lunchroom and people might get ideas.~”

That made them all recoil back, God they were pathetic. Without a word she marched out of the cafeteria, head held high.

She had a friend to find.

* * *

His world was crumbling around him.

The one constant he had was not acknowledging him as he once did. Zim was angry and confused by all of this because it was not FAIR!

Dib was his enemy, Dib never had Friends, never had a supportive family, but he still never had given up or backed down.

Now Dib was trying to cut ties from who he was? No, Zim would not allow it, Dib was his to break, his to wound. The girl-not-girl creature could not stop him, no one could. If Dib was not going to submit to his superiority then Zim would make him.

He had an enemy to find.


End file.
